Prophet therefore to teach vs thus much vses this word that is trāslated walketh in such a tense or time in his owne language as wherby it is wel known to the skilfull in that tongue he noteth a continuāce of their so walking euen vnto the time when God tooke thē hence Let vs therefore study euery one of vs to approue our selues thus qualified whiles wee are in strength and liuing that we may be found thus walking sick weake and dying For it is a common prouerb qualis vita finis ita such life such end or death And there is smal likelihood sure I am it is not to be presumed on that he that hath not begun thus to walk before he come to his death bed will there begin there be found such a one For who is so simple but he may easily conceiue that it is most likely that he that forgetteth both God himselfe lyuing shal be despised of God dying We dare not nor may not say that vera seria poenitentia can be sera that is that true repentance and earnest can be too late but yet I can tell you that sera penitentia late repentance may be suspected often whither it will proue seria vera earnest and true And therefore the safest course is whiles we haue wit and vnderstanding and whiles we haue strength and vse of our sences which oftentimes faile vs in extremity of sicknes to labour to be such as here he describes Thus now in generall we haue heard howe the Prophet sets forth them for whom he hath comforts anone to tell vs of both liuing dear let vs therefore marke further what in particuler he cals such The words that he vseth to the end are in the former verse and they are wel rendred by our interpreters righteous merciful men The waies therfore of the Lord in particuler that they that would walke before him aright must walke in are righteousnes or iustice mercy and compassion Iustice with mercy and mercy with iustice therefore must go hand in hand togegether for iustice without mercy wil soone proue extremity and mercy without iustice will vs quickely prooue but foolish pittie that warre◠〈◊〉 a Cittie a But when to shew the one and to doe the at her that must be learned of iudgement which is in deed the right moderatour directour of both where these 3. concur in one their iustice shall be shown in time and place and so likewise mercy All these in perfection are founde in God and therfore saith Ieremy Cap. 9. 23.24 let not the wise manne reioice in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me saith the Lorde for I am the Lorde that shew mercie iudgement and iustice in the earth for in these thinges I delight And surely we are like the children of such a father to doe what wee canne to bee like our heauenlie father heerein for hee delightes not onely to approue himselfe such an one in all his doinges but that we also shoulde bee such And therefore by Hosea Cap. 6. verse 5. in the time of the olde testament when sacrifices were in the greatest and best estimation he taught his people that hee desired mercy and not sacrifice speaking so by comparison which sentence Christ wishes them to consider that seemed to bee offended at the mercy hee shewed publicanes Matthew 9.13 And to doe iustice and iudgement so ioyning the other two together saith Salomon Proverb 21.3 is more acceptable to the Lorde then sacrifice And yet Michah Cap. 6. verse 8 most not 〈◊〉 to commend these vertues vnto vs saith he hath shewed thee O man what the Lorde requireth of thee surelie to doe iustlie and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Al which places layde togither doe teach vs three verie good lessons concerning this matter The first is that he that hath any care to walke as he ought before God hee must haue an especiall care amongest all other things if not aboue all other things to deale iustlie and to shew mercy He must therefore abhor all iniustice as extortion and oppression and all cruelty and merciles dealing and think how deuout zealous and and religious soeuer he seeme to be that yet al is but vaine without these And to this purpose it is worthely said of S. Iames in my opinion pure religion and vndefiled before God is this to visite the fatherles and widdowes in their aduersity therein calling for mercy to keep himselfe vnspotted of the world therein likewise calling for righteousnes and iustice Cap. 1. vers 27. The second lesson is this that they that would rightly shew both that they loue iustice and mercy must learne to ioine iudgment withall For through the want and lacke thereof it was that both Saul Ahab shewed mercy when they should rather haue done iustice the one vpon Agag the King of the Amalekits 1. Sam 15. and the other vpon Bennadad the King of Aram 1. Kings the 20. and therfore the one for his labour was sharpely reproued in the name of the Lord by Samuell and tolde that therefore his kingdome should be taken from him the other was met told likewise by an other Prophet of the Lord that because he had let that Bēnadad escape with his life whom he had appointed to death therfore deliuered into his hands that therfore his life should go for his his people for his as it appeares at large in the said places For by this who seeth not that though this their dealing caried a showe of mercy that yet in the sigh of God for that the malicious enemies of him and his people were saued aliue when they might haue bin kild so dispatcht frō euer endangering of any his people afterwards and that to the iust terror of the rest it was accoūted no better then plaine cruelty These exāples therfore considered if a noble valiant Captaine hauing cōmissiō vnder his Prince to gouerne to defend a cōtry see the same enuaded by malicious forrein enimies guided assisted therin by treacherous traiterous hōe borne wretches the Lord hauing deliuered thē vp into his hand had he not need to take heede the for lack of soūd iudgement he shew not foolish pity vpon such vppon whom iustice only indeed is to be done Who therefore can but commend this honorable Lord both for his iudgmēt iustice mercy for his dealing as he did in this very case with thē in the fort in Ireland especially seing as I haue learned both of himselfe by the report of others that were there with him neither any maner of promise that euer they could get of him nor their own desert could any way put thē in any hope of any better thē they found And besides seeing it is most certaine that he neither
speakes of For Ieremie himselfe who doubtles was such a one lyued to see this euell come vpon them to the full as it is euident Ier. 39. which was such a griefe vnto him that therupon he wrote his booke of Lamentations And it is the common opinioÌ„ that Iohn that beloued Apostle of our Sauiour liued to see the final and last destruction of Hierusalem and the temple and the vtter subuersion of that kingdom of the Iews by the RomaÌ„s Onely therfore thus are we to take it that when in such had times as this was that Isaiah speaketh of it pleaseth the Lord thought thorough many tribulacions liuing and in the end also by great paâ—â—â—ying to take many such a way that then howsoeuer the wicked conster this that most certainly it is 〈◊〉 of the Lord of singuler and special fauor toward◠〈◊〉 and namely to take them away from euel to come This therfore serueth not only mightelyâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the wicked and vngodly from all caâ—ultingâ—◠〈◊〉 thus dealing with his and to teach them thâ—â— notwithstanding to reforâ—e their iudgementes of the liues and deaths of such as I haue sufficiently shewed before in handling the Prophets complaineth but also it serueth as forciblye to comforte and cheaâ—e the Godly in the middest of all their tribulations living and paynes and tormentes dying For hereby they may perceiue though their peace and rest â—e reserued vntill they be taken hence by 〈◊〉 yet both before and in their very death the Lorde haâ— a speciall fauour and loue to 〈…〉 Wherefore let such take al the 〈…〉 that they are enforced to suffer lying as dying 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cifull father for their good as meanes to conforme them to their heade CHRIST IESUS heere that heereafter else where they may bee made conformable vnto him and therefore euen so manie argumentes of a better life reserued for them in an other woorlde For howsoeuer they cannot chuse but for the present to fleshe and bloode bee grieuous yet certainelye as the Lorde vses them to his they are his very good meanes to to mortifie his children to this woorlde that they way be the readier and willinger to departe hence when be cals for them and in his bande they are but as his fire and furnare to make his pure gold and as his fanne to make them cleane corne for his own vse and as his mill to grinde them and ouen to bake them to bee pure mainchet to serue his owne table And in the very sight of the woorlde to the glorie of God and the good example of others they prooue but the ordinarie meanes to cause their faith patience and constancie in cleauing fast to God notwithstanding and in calling the more earnestly vpon him to appeare Let not any man therfore be dismaide or discomforted at tribulatioÌ„s incident to the godly liuing or at the painfulnes or manner of their death so they die coÌ„stant in faith in the Lord. Indeed Iohâ—s friends looking vpon the tribulations that hee had to 〈◊〉 â—ooke occasion thereby to iudge him to haue bin before but an hyprocrite but they were not onely rightly withstoode by Iob 〈◊〉 but in the ende God himselfe as it appeareth in the conclusion of that story tooke Iobes part against them And Luk. 13. ver the first we read that some told Christ how Pilate had mingled the blood of certain Galileans with the blood of their sacrifices but Christ perceiuing that in so doing they thought thâ—â— therfore they might iudge those Galileans to the worse then of any of the rest he tels them in so thinking they were deceiued so likewise if they should think that those 18 vpon whoÌ„ the towre of Siloah fel were greater sinners theÌ„ any that dwelt in Hierusalem he shews them they were in an error thereby teaching vs that we may not by these outward accidents occurrentes iudge But notable to this our purpose is it to considers that though as we haue heard 2. Chr. 34. the Lord promised to take Iosiah hence in his fauour and therefore we may be sure he did so that yet he came to his death be a wound taken at Megiddo in a battle against the Lordes liking taken in hande against Pharao Necho king of Aegypt as it is shewed in the next Chapter For heereby any man may see that one as deerely beloued of God as Iosiah was yet notwithstanding sometimes may haue such a death and that therefore men are not to iudge them not loued or regarded of God streight that haue painful somwhat extraordinary meanes to bring them to their deaths Hereunto also wel serueth that which wee read He. 11. ve 35. c. For though it be euideÌ„t that there the Apostle speaketh of such as both liued and died out of all question the deare children of God and so were taken hence in his fauour yet he saith some of them were rackt some tried by mockings scourgings some by bonds and imprisonment some were stoned some hewn a sunder and some were slain with the sword c. and yet he saith the world was not worthy of them For the simplest man that is hereby may see that men may be the deare children of God and be also most dearely beloued of him and yet haue many tribulations in this life in the end also be taken away by some tormenting death If it were not thus we should condemn al the Martyrs which are inumerable that for the Lordes cause haue endured both liuing and dying woÌ„derful trouble and torment Wherefore seeing we are compassed as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.1 c. with so great a cloude of witnesses in this case let vs run with patience the race that is set before vs looking vnto Iesus the authour finisher of our faith who as he there sheweth hath run this race before vs. For seeing in him our head we see that found true which we reade Act. 14.12 that by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen let not vs that as members haue communion and vnion with him thinke to get thither any other way And yet let vs hold it for all this a most sound principle that is set downe Psal 116. vers 15. that is that precious in the sight of the Lord is the death alwaies of his saints let that therefore be effectually prouided for that we liue and die the Lords in being such both liuing and dying as here Isaiah speaketh of and then let vs be assured whatsoeuer the vngodly thinke of vs either for our tribulations liuing or for our paines in dying that the Lord alwaies hath a loue and fauor to vs first in making vs ready therby to go hence and then in taking vs therby away from the euil to come The other comfort giuen here by the Prophet that we may cast of and strengthen our selues withall dying yet before we die lies in the two Hebrewe words that are here translated perisheth and taken away For howsoeuer the
wicked vsing the former of these of the deathes of the righteous thereby meanâ— that they when they are once dead are so lost and gone that they shall neuer be found againe Yet the vse of the word in the Hebrewe tongue As not alwaies to importe so much For it is 〈◊〉 â—1 Sam. 9. vers 3. touching Sauls fathers aâ—â—eâ— which are said were lost and yet in that Chapter it appeares they were not so lost but they were found sale and sound againe vers 20. and the thing lost by one and found by â—n other Leuit. oâ— vers 3. is expressed by a deâ—â—atiue thereof And the other worde vsed here by the Prophet in his owne tongue is so rich in signification as it is noted 〈◊〉 the learned in that tongue and as they make it euident by the vse of it in other places of the scripture that is signifieth 〈…〉 take vp to 〈◊〉 away but also to drawe backe againe to receiue backe againe to one to gather vp or together and to cure and heale they being therefore here vsed by the holy ghost to expresse the death of the righteous by because we are therefore sure they are fit for the purpose in my opinion touching the death of such thereby wee may well learne thus much to the great comfort of all such both liuing and dying that howsoeuer the prophane Atheiste and Epicure count death to be vltima linea rerum the vtmost bound of all thinges and therefore cry one to another Ede bibe post mortem nulla voluptas eate and drinke for after death there is no pleasure and therefore are likely enough to account such men deade so to be quite perished that they shal neuer be againe yet in deede and trueth it is nothing so But such though by death the worlde and men liuing haue lost them yet another hath found them that is the Lord himselfe and therefore though by their death hee hath quite taken them from vs and conueied them cleane out of the coÌ„pany of the liuing here yet he hath thereby but gathered them vp and together from amongst the wicked with whom they were mingled amongst whom to their griefe they were as scattred whiles they were here that so whoÌ„ he sent into the world to doe him seruice for a time and as it were to play a part on a scaffold that he had appointed them he might draw backe againe and take home againe to himselfe that there he may perfectly both cure their soules of all sinne and infirmities and thorowly heale their bodies of al sicknesses and diseases whereof neither could be free or cleare as long as they were here And that death to the righteous is no other thing but thus the scriptures doe plainely and plentifully teach vs for Eccle. 12. vers 7. when it comes we are taught that the body which he there cals dust returnes to the earth from whence it came and the spirite to God that gaue it And therfore Christ Luk. 23. v. 46. and Stephen according to his example dying Act. 7. ver 59. commend their spirits to God and Paul counts death 2. Cor. 5. ver 1. c. to the godly but a flitting out of his earthy tabernacle to a better in heauen prepared for is and therefore saith that he desired to be loosed and to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 And therefore these thinges thus being hereby a most notable comfort to remooue the terriblenes of death is giuen vnto such as liue and die the Lordes so that these thinges remembred we may well say with Cyprian de mortalitate of such non amittuntur sed praemittunturâ— they are not lost but sent before and againe we may well said with him these thinges being thus as most surely they are that eius est mortem timere qui ad Christum non vult ire quod enim moâ—â—â—e ad â—â—ortalitatem morte transgredâ—nur non est â—â—itur sed transitur quis non ad meliora festâ—â—â—â— that is he only hath cause to feare 〈…〉 not go to Christ for in that we die by death we passe to immortality it is therfore no dispatch or ful end but a passage and who would not make hast to better And surely the good remembrance of these two comforts I am fully perswaded did so mightily prevaile with this noble person that they swallowed vp and made him so Christianly and comfortably to beare what paines soeuer he felt that led him thereunto as I haue shewed before For from what fountaine else could his saying weepe not for me weepe not for me come but froÌ„ hence that he was fully perswaded that death should be an aduantage vnto him whatsoeuer should follow therupoÌ„ to vs. And his oft earnest praying to God to take him hence in peace and requesting others as namely my selfe that I would pray vnto him that he would for he was most willing to come vnto him and therefore would not once strâ—â—e with him to the contrary whence came it but from a certaine perswasion that death should bee no more vnto him but as I haue shewed and so a meanes to bring him past all danger either of sin or â—â—eknes to the city of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen to God the iudge of all and to the spirites of iust and perfect men to Iesus the mediatour of the new Testament as Paul speaketh of that company that hee is gone vnto Heb. 12.22 c. Wherfore to our further coÌ„fort concerning him our selues and all others that shall liue and die such as here the Prophet speaks of let vs now go on and view the comforts that he giues and sets down to appertaine to such being once taken heÌ„ce by death His words are touching such as our interpreter hath rendred them peace shall come they shall rest in their beds but in my opinion better according to the originall others translate he shall meaning the righteous enter into peace vppon peace or in peace for such variety there is and they meaning such shall rest in their beddes The knitting of which words immediately with the former touching their taking hence ought to teach vs that the comforts hereby deliuered are such as that immediately vpon death such as the Prophet speaketh of enter into possession and fruition of And that the comfortes prepared for such come immediately and presentlie vpon their death the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the Angell sheweth Apoc. 14. v. 13. saying blessed are the dead euen from the verie instant of their death alwaies after as that worde signifieth that die in the Lorde for they rest from their labours and their workes hee saieth not any bodies else followe them Which we see confirmed to be so by that which we reade Luk. 16.22 of Lazarus his being caried immediately vppon his death into Abrahams bosome And in that these two
A SERMON PREACHED AT WHADDON in Buckinghamshyre the 22. of Nouember 1593. at the buriall of the Right Honorable ARTHVR Lorde GREY of Wilton Knight of the most Honorable order of the Garter by THOMAS SPARKE Pastor of Blechley AT OXFORD Printed by IOSEPH BARNES Printer to the Vniversitie 1593. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND HIS VERY GOOD LADIES the Countesse of BEDFORD and the Ladie GREY her Honours Daughter and to the Right honorable THOMAS Lord GREY of Wilton his very good Lord Thomas Sparke wisheth all necessary spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus with health al prosperity to their own full contentation and comfort SINCE the preaching of this sermon following Right honorable J know you are not ignorant how earnestly I haue beene requested to publish the same in Print considering therefore that therin there was set before vs in that Honorable person at whose buriall it was preached such an example both of liuing and dying well as being now by this means made further known maie through Gods goodnes provoke many the better to imitate the same and weighing also with my selfe that as his death was precious in the eies of the Lorde so it was and is my duety to do anie thing that lyeth in me to further the continuance of his name in blessed and everlasting remembrance I haue yeelded as your Honours see to this request Indeede when J preached it by reason of the shortnes of time that then J was tyed vnto that there might also be time without staying of the assembly too long for the performance of the solemne and Honorable funerall rites J was driven to cut off much that I had thought to have vttered and but briefly and lightly to run ouer sundry thinges which more at large my purpose was then to haue handled Al which now I haue thought good according to my first full premeditation in print to set downe wherevppon in remembring what was saide and now in conferring this therewith some difference there will be found But yet that will be not for the substance or matters therein handled at all but onelie that some of them are further prosecuted here and vrged then for the reason aforesaide they could be then And to you three iointlie I haue beene bolde to dedicate it because as in nature so in truth I know the losse of this Honorable man toucheth you three neerest wishing and hartely praying you with the reading and meditation of the matters herein conteyned to comfort your selues and to moderate your sorrow otherwise for the losse of such an one For hereby you shall I hope plainely perceiue that he was such a one whome the Lorde of speciall fauour towarde him hath taken hence and that therefore howsoeuer we haue lost him God hath found hiâ—â— and that whatsoeuer wee haue lost out of all doubt he hath found both perfect peace and ioy in soule and most sound and quiet rest in bodie And therefore in his respect you shall hereby finde that they that loued him most haue most iust cause to reioice Jndeede in respect of our selues this sermon will laie before you that there is iust cause of mourning for all that hee hath left behinde him yet withall it will shew you that the ende and vse hereof ought onelie to be this to awaken vs so out of all securitie in our sinnes as that wee maie by heartie repentaunce and true turning vnto God in time turne away the fearefull euils that otherwise the taking awaye so fast of such threatens vs. J trust therefore if your honours will voutchsafe to take the paines seriously to read and to consider hereof that no small comfort and good will in these respectes arise and grow vnto you thereby And this J must needes saie to your further comfort that the great concourse of people vnto his buriall and the crying and weeping of all sortes there was such as in my opinion it was a notable argument that as he was doubtlesse beloued of God so was he vnfeinedlie honoured and loued of men Herein also appeared an euident token of Gods favour towardes him that as he had liued honorably so it pleased the Lord to take him hence according to his owne vsuall and often repeated request though â—e had beene a great man of warre in such peace in his own bedde in his owne house as he did and withall to bring him with such honour as questionles he was brought to his graue For when the waies of men haue not pleased the Lorde wee finde often in the scriptures that they both haue beene threatned and that so it hath come to passe that they should not haue the honour of the ordinarie buriall meete and vsed to persons of their estate as wee maie read and see Psal 79. vers 3.1 King 21.23 2.9.35 c. and Ier. 22 18. c. And of the contrarie we finde it very often noted in the same as an argument of Gods favour towards them when men haue so died as that they attained vnto honorable and convenient buriall As wee maie finde touching Abraham Gen. 25.8 touching Iacob Gen. 49. 50. vers 29. c. 2.3 c. touching Dauid 2. King 2. vers â—0 yea and touching Christ himselfe Ioh. 19 ver 38.39 c. Greatlie therefore in this respect in my iudgment are you Right Honorable Ladie his wife to be commended especiallie thinges concerning the world standing with you now no otherwise then your good frends know they do that you haue thus honorably as you haue perfourmed this duetie vnto him For though J am of the same opinion that he was that wrote that tract de cura pro mortuis gerenda of care to be taken for the dead commonlie fathered vpon S. Augustine that ista omnia id est curatio funcris conditio sepulturaâ—â— pompa exequiarum magis viuorum sunt solatia quam subsidia mortuorum Cap. 2. that is that al these thinges the care had about the dead bodie the maner of the buriall and the solemnitie of the funeral obsequies are rather comfortes for the liuing then anie helpes of the dead yet J am of this iudgement thereof so they bee done and vsed without superstition and but as is decent and sit for the state of the person as in this case J am sure they were they are commendable tokens and arguments both of dutifull loue and regarde in those they leaue behinde towardes them and also so manie good means to shew and nourish their hope of a ioiful and comfortable resurrection Do we not read euen that our Sauiour Christ himselfe defended Marie Magdalens fact when some of hls disciples murmured at it in powring a box of very costly ointment on his head in that she did it to bury him Mat. 26. ve 7 c. And is it not reported to the coÌ„mendation both of Ioseph of Arimathea of Nicodemus that the one to the deceÌ„t burial of Christ bestowed vpon him a sepulchre linneÌ„ cloths to wrap his
all other sorts and estates of the best disposition that the greatest part 〈…〉 that are left behinde are growne is â—n 〈…〉 height in all sin and impiety yet vniuersally 〈◊〉 where amongst vs there is such a grosse and senseles security to be seene that doubtles as iustly maie we now as Isaiah in his time in the bitternes of our soules cry out and say the righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euell to come Onely this with him in this case we haue to comfort our selues withall that howsoeuer the wicked and vngodly iudge of the deathes of such that in very deede the Lord thereby in his great loue and favour hath taken them away before the euel come which he hath prepared for them that hereby will â—ot in time be drawne to repentance And that howsoeuer whiles such liued in this vnkinde and wicked world they could neuer enioy either sound peace in â—oâ—â—e or quiet rest in their bodies for vering and greuing themselues at the vngodlines of others rounde about them yet euery one that walketh before God in righteousnes and mercy and so is taken away euen thus walking is sure immediatly vppon his death to enter possession in soule of an euerlasting most comfortable peace and in bodye to rest most soundly and quietly in the bed that the Lorde hath made therefore vntill at the last day it rise againe and for euer to be ioyned with the soule in most perfect and consummate ioy in the kingdome of heauen Wherfore seeing these words of the prophet and the matter therein contayned thus fit our present busines I beseech you giue me leaue to doe the â—eâ— that I can to lead you so into the due meditation therof that we all may make that holy and good vse therof that we should both to reforme that in time which is amisse in any of vs and to comfort and strengthen vs in that which is well begunne His wordes in my iudgement containe complaint or expostulation and a comfort or consolation The complaint is against the vngodly aliue in the behalfe of the godly departed the comâ—â—rt â—s for the godly against the haâ—d opinions of the vngodly of them The matter in general that he compâ—inâ—â—â— of is the wonderfull carelesnesse and security 〈…〉 saw in the people of his time which in particular he notes they shewed first in not taking to heard as they should the deathes of most worthy men and then in not once vnderstanding that the Lordes end thereâ—â— was not only to shew them great favour in taking them away from the euell to come but also thereby to threaten some great euill to be comming on apace vpon the impenitent secure that they lesse behinde them And let his words be well markt and â—â—e shal finde in the deliuering of this comfort he doth first describe them whom he would comfort then sets downe the comforts that belong to such and these he describeth in generall in the latter verâ—e to be euery one that walketh before God and in particuler in the other to be righteous and mercifull 〈◊〉 Likewise the comfortes that herein hee layes downe for such ere either such as concerne them dying or dead and of each kind he giues two the first are these that the Lords end in taking them away by death whatsoeuer the vngodly think to the contrary is in his favour to take them away before the euill come that he hasteneth to bring vppon others and that their death is no perishing vnto them though the prophane and wicked so think but in truth a gathering of them vp from amongst the vngodly with whome whiles they liued to their griefe trouble they were mingled to ioyne them to the blessed holy coÌ„pany of the Saints in heauen the other two that immediatly vpoÌ„ death they enter into fruition of are these that thereupon streight in soule they enter into peace and in their bodies that they rest in their beds that is in their graues or places whatsoeuer the Lorde in his prouidence hath allotted them This order therefore methode let vs nowe follow in further handling examining these wordes of the Prophet But that the better we may attaine and finde out his full scope and drift herein we are first to vnderstand that these words of his haue their necessary coherence and connexion with the foure last verses of the former Chapter which the better to leade the reader to see and perceaue Tremelius in his translation of the Bible hath begunne this 57. Chapter where those foure verses beginne Marke therefore I beseech you that in the first of those foure verses that I speake of the Prophet calles for the beastes of the fielde and forrest to come to eate and deuour by which woordes by a figuratiue kinde of speech he denounceth against that people some fearefull destruction that should come vppon them and great slaughter that should he made of them Therein doubtlesse hauing an eie to that which should come to passe when Nabuchadnezer the king of Babell shoulde inuade their country and destroy Hierusalem temple all slaying whom he list and leading the rest into captiuity For Hieremie another prophet whome the Lorde raysed vppe vnto that people after Isaiahs time respecting that iudgement telles them in his ninth Chapter verse 22. that when that should be their Carkasses should he as doung vpon the earth and be scattered as handfuls after the mowerâ— where there is none to gather them vp and 〈◊〉 againe in his 34 Chapter hauing plainly expresâ—â—ly denounced this iudgement against them in like phrase to this verse 20. he shewes them that when it shoulde be executed vpon them their dead bodies should be meat for the foules of heauen the beasts of the field But that by thus calling the beasts together as it were to a solemn baÌ„quet it is the vse and fashion of the spirit of God in the scriptures to vnderstaÌ„d some horrible and dreadfull destruction wee maie most clearely see Ezech 39. vers 18.19 20. Reuel 19. vers 17. Where it is euident that to denounce such a matter both the foules of the aire and beastes of the field are solemnly cald for as it were to feede at the Lordes table to their full of the flesh and blood of kings princes nobles captaines of others of al sortes Wherfore it is most certaine that our Prophet here by the like phrase gaue this people of the kingdome of Iudah to vnderstand that such a iudgement as I haue saide was prepared for them and hastening fast towards them Now hauing done this thus in the first of the 4. verses immediatly going before my text in the other three he layes downe that one speciall prognostication and hastening cause thereof was this that they that in respect of their places and maintenance therefore ought
to haue beene as their watchmen to tell them of their sinnes and to forewarne them of the iudgementes of God therefore to come vppon them were such as either for lacke of skill or will in that respect were no better then dumbe dogs delighting in sleeping and that yet they were so covetous and ambitious that they coulde neuer be satisfied withall giuing themselues most securely to all delicacy and voluâ—tuousnes of liuing Whereby by the way we may see that when in any kingdome it may iustly and truely be thus saide of such that then euen thereby that people haue a most certaine cause giuen them to feare some grievous iudgement not to be far off For how can it be but when it is thus with these kinde of men it must bee as bad if not worse with them whom these both for life and doctrine shoulde go before and guide For if 〈…〉 darkenes what else caÌ„ we looked for in the whole body And if the sunne haue giuen ouer shining and be as it were quite set vppon the toppe of the mountaines what shew can it make in the valleyes God of his mercy therfore graÌ„t that we may be every day more and more vnlike the kingdome of Iudah in this point Well the Prophet hauing thus drawen one argument from the corrupt estate of the watchmen in his time that such a heavy iudgement as I haue shewed he denounced was comming apace on against the people of the kingdome of Iudah hauing a desire fully to perswade them that it was so the better to awaken them and to draw them to repentance if it were possible to preuent the same in these wordes of my text he giues them another most sure and certaine signe and token thereof And it is this that in so bad times as those were wherin sinne had so ouerflowed al estates the Lordes taking away by death so many of their best and godliest men whereof the number was before but small was a plaine demonstration that such an euel was shortly to come vpoÌ„ those whom they left behind theÌ„ And the rather because notwithstaÌ„ding this was a heauy iudgment of it selfe thus to haue their most worthy men taken away and clerely shewed that yet there was a heauier comming the people continued and went on 〈◊〉 in ther olde lewd course in all security neither feeling the present blow that hereby the Lorde gâ—â—e them nor yet thereby taking any occasion to thinke that a further was threatned Other argumentes he could haue vsed to this purpose but with these two as though these two were insteede of all the rest and were of themselues most sufficent to perswade this matter he contents himselfe Wherefore looking now into the daies and times wherein we liue if it be so that we cannot deny but that the manners of men and the falling out of things amongst vs geue ground for these two arguments to be vrged and vsed against vs we may and ought to learne hereby vnlesse we be disposed to showe our selues to be a people that nothing can feare or drawe from security to true repentance that it standes vs vppon speedily euen hereby to take warning to looke better to our selues and to our waies then hitherto wee haue done As for the former of these argumentes whether there haue not bin and yet are two many such in the place of watchmen amongst vs as the Prophet hath described to grounde that vppon I referre to your owne iudgement who perhaps knowe it better then my selfe but touching the other laide downe here in my text I dare boldly affirme that Isaiah had neuer iuster cause to vrge that in his time then we haue euen nowe Wherefore now vnderstanding as we doe vppon what occasion and to what ende these wordes were vttered by him let vs according to the order and methode before therein obserued go on in the further weighing considering thereof The righteous man perisheth saith he speaking in the singuler number for the plurall as it is euident in the next Clause where speaking still of the same he termes them in the plurall number mercifull men Whereby it is cleare that this was spoken by hint in respect of such a time of his prophesying wherein many such as here he speaks of by one kinde of death or other were taken hence But whereas by the first verse of this booke of his prophesies it appeares that he prophesyed in the daies of Vzziah Iothan Ahaz and Ezechiah kinges of Iudah and some of the ancient Rabbins and other Christian ancient fathers haue thought that he himselfe was sawn to death in the first yeare of Manasses the consideration whereof hath made many to vnderstand that Hebr. 11. verse 37. where the Apostle speaking of the deaths of sundry of the godly in the time of the olde testament saith some were hewn a sunder or as some rather translate it sawn a sunder as spoken properly of the death of Isaiah vnder this idolatrous tyrant amoÌ„gst the interpreters of this place they al are not of one minde touching the time in respect wherof these wordes were set downe For some refer them to some time of the 16. yeares that Ahaz reigned some to the first yeare of the raigne of Manasses others thinke they were spoken in regard of some time of the reigne of Ezechiah They that refer them to Ahaz or Manasses times think that the Prophet here speaketh not onely of such righteous and mercifull men as in those times died ordinary deaths by sicknesses vpon their beds but especially of such as were put to death by those idolatrous and wicked Kings And indeede likely inough it is that in their times many such for misliking their proceedings and not conforming themselues thereuÌ„to came to their ends For Ahaz was so grosse an idolater that he burnt incense in the valley of Benhinnom and burnt his sonnes with fire or made them passe through the fire after the abomination of the heathen 2. Cron. 25. vers 3. and he had Vriah the priest one ready to follow his idolatrous wicked commandements in any thing 2. Kings 16. vers 11. 16. and of the other the holy story 2. Kings 21. vers 1. c. 2. Cron. 33. vers 1. c reports as much ill as may be and Iosephus for his part in the 10. booke of the antiquities of the Iews chapter the 4. writes most plainly that he kild all that he could come by both of the prophets and people that were godly And they that refer theÌ„ to Ezechias time either refer them to the time when he was sicke vnto death and yet recouered as we reade Isaiah 35. or to the time when he died indeede 2. Kinges the 20. vers 21. For the sicknes that he was so sicke of and yet recouered is thought of sundry learned men to haue bin the very plague wherof about that time many such as Isaiah here speaketh of by all likelihood died though he escaped when he
from time to time vnto the end as I was I neuer hearde any word of impatiency thereby wrong from him but still the more sore his fits were and his sicknes grew the more earnest and holy prayers and meditations came from him insomuch that he continued praying and calling vpon God to take him hence vnto himselfe in peace to haue mercy vpon him for his Christ his sake to receaue his spirit vntill the very last ghaspe only the mercies of God in Christ Iesus promised all the time of his sicknes as very often he protested were his comfort acknowledging stil that but for them he were a most miserable wretch yet they being such as they were he would neuer geue ouer trusting in him howsoeuec hee dealt with him From the beginning of his sicknes it seemeth that he had receiued in himselfe the sentence of death and therefore after neuer minded wordly thing 〈◊〉 then needs must his continuall prayeâ— for 〈◊〉 and children was that the Lord would blesse them then as it seemed by the maner of his speech thinking that they should do wel inough 〈◊〉 meanly sooner he left them Indeed to his eldest sonne kneeling by his bed side crauing his blessing though then it was very painful for him to speak he gâ—â—e it most Christianly thus saying my sonne heare heare feare the Lorde feruing him in holines and righteousnes al the daies of thy life and so thou shalt want no maner of thing that is good for the rest of his childreÌ„ he said there were blessinges inough in store which he prayed the Lorde to bestow vpon them And to others weepâ—ng about him I remember well he said with set countenaunce and stated voice and I hope I shal I neuer forget it weepe not for me but weepe for your owne sins And thus neuer satisfying himselfe with humbling of himselfe before God on the one side in the sight of his owne vnworthines and yet shewing 〈◊〉 the other alwaies that he had a chereful hope frely fully to be saued for Iesus Christes sake a loue through his worthines whiles both they about him â— the rest of the family below togither were in powring forth their prayers to God for him the 14 day of the last month of October being the Lords day he ended the day of rest or Sabboth in falling into such a sleepe and rest that now for euery he shal keepe a perpetuall Sabbâ—th 〈◊〉 â—e Lordeâ—â—nd thus wel beloued yee haue heaâ—â— both of the life death of this Right Honorable Lord Grey though nothing answerably to that which he deserued yet so far and so much as I trust I going on now lastly to lay before you the comfortes that the Prophet hath here set downe for them that he hath here described of your selues with out any further application of mine you will thinke that hee had and shall haue his part and portion therein Wherfore herein to bee as briefe as I can as I haue said either they are such as either may comfort such dying or such as they onely tast of and enioy when they be dead And two comfortes here I obserue still to be giuen them of each kinde The first of the former sort is taken from the end that God hath in taking such away for their good and is thus much in effect Though the wicked ones in the woorlde liue in neuer such iollity and securitie in all sinne and impiety triumphing and hartening themselues the more in their course because such is the state of those that walke before God in righteousnesse and mercifulnesse here sometimes that they through the vnkindenesse of the woorlde can neither enioy any sound peace in minde nor rest in their beds liuing in it nor yet so dye in the end but that either they are put to some violent death by their enemies and persecutors or dye of some such sharpe and paineful sickenesse that the wicked thinke they haue cause to iudge them as a sorce that God loueth not and therefore that are perished yet indeede for all this the Lorde loued them aliue and of that loue of his hath taken them away by death before the euill daie come which he hath prepared for the destruction of the wicked and impenitent Let the words and circumstances of my text be wel scanned and it wil euidently thereby appeare that it was the Prophets meaning to minister giue this comfort For though both immediatly before my text after by the word perisheth he plainly shews that whâ—n the righteous are pickt out from amoÌ„gst the wicked they conceiue no better of it in that there is no rest or peace promised the godly herein but after they be taken hence it be more theÌ„ insinuated that both their liues deathes are often in this world ful of tribulation yet that they shoulde not be discouraged either with that they feele themselues or with the doings sayings of the other the Prophet assureth the righteous merciful maÌ„ that walketh before god that he is taken heÌ„ce of loue to exempt him froÌ„ euil And therefore if he can take it to bee an argument of loue in a husbandman or shepheard foreseeing a storme tempest before to gather into his barne his haruest or vnto some shelter his flocke of sheepe then hee hath cause so to thinke of the Lordes calling and fetching him home before the euell daie come With this God comforted Abraham Genes 15. vers 13. c. For there first hauing tolde him that his seede should serue and be ill entreated in a strang land 400 yeares after to comfort him he tells him that yet he should goe vnto his fathers in peace and so he did as we read Gen. 25.8 But Iosiah that liued not long before this euell spoken of here begoâ—ne to breake in vppon the kingdome of Iudah is a most not able example heereof For by Huldah the Prophetisse he beeing first giuen certainly to vnderstand that it should shortly be yet from her this word withall was sent him to his comfort that hee first should be gathered vnto his fathers and put into his graue in peace and that so his eyes should not see the euill that God would bring vpon that place and people 2. Chro. 34. Wherein doubtlesse they could not but take comfort and be the willinger to die when where howsoeuer the Lord appointed For who would not be glad to flee out of aÌ„ old house before it fall about his eares Who would not take comfort vpon the sea seing a great storme comming to get into some safe haueÌ„ first Who being in a iourney and knowing the way to be laid for passengers to spoile and to destroy them would not bee glad to take vppe his Inne before And yet this is not so to be takeÌ„ as though it were here either said or ment that alwaies God taketh away al such as he describes before the comming of such an euell as here he